Razor blade knife



Dec. l, 1959 L, K, KUHNL 2,914,850

RAZOR BLADE KNIFE Filed Oct. 24, 1957 l llllll' :L HHHII generally along line 111--11 of Fig, 5. l

lsharp, Inc., New York,N,Y., a corporation `of Delaware j H UnitedStates Patent Y. Application october a4, 1,9257, 4,serial No. 692,213 H l s Claims. (ci. 30a-156) This invention relates. generally to a pocket knife, land particularlyto a pocket knife utilizing a standard razor blade for the cutting edge. .f Y

It is theV general object Aof the` invention to provide` a new and improvedrazor blade pocket knife which is of relatively simplefyet Sturdy/construction, which is very economical to produce,` which *may be safely Ihandled `and carried. in apocket', which-has improved means for retaining the razorybladelin a blade =holder, and which hasI improved means facilitating opening of the-knife.,-

r Another objectofthe invention is to` provide such v,a

knife wherein the razorblade providing the cuttingledge may veryeasily-be replacedwhen .old or `broken without the useof tools, andywherein the blade when assembled; in the .knife will not .become in use. r

A more detailed object of-the invention is to provide ay new `and improved razor blade pocket knifeincluding a handle -havingaverticalslot, .a blade holder having a U s'hapedcro'ss sectiopivotably mounted at one vend (of the holder and pivotable between `an open, operable .position and-a,c1os'ed, carrying. fposition in the slot,^,a :blade carrier adaptedtojs'upporta razor blade andnpivotably mounted .in the handlerrcoaxially Awith, the holder and pivotable with .a razorblade supported thereon into `vthe holder, .the .cutting` edge` .of V,the `blade projecting out of4 the,holder, and means associated with the pivoted .end

ofthe carrier to providey a frictional springaction adapted to [retain the, carrierv and lthe blade in theholder..

Another object of theinvention is to provide such a knife wherein the ,handleisprovided with va notch eX- tending transversely `of the slot and to -adepth below the invertededges of the jU-shapedh'older when the holder isin its closed position in the slot whereby the l,edges of the-lU-shaped, holderprovide abutments engageable by apersoris fingernails 4to facilitate opening ofthe knife.

These andother objectsand advantages of the invention Will ybe apparent from a consideration of therazor blade knife structure `which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying `drawings wherein:

'.Fig'. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiloosened or detached while -As shown in the, drawings, an embodiment `of the invention disclosed herein includesa knife-body orv handle portion 1'5 having anopening 16 formed in one end for hanging'the knife on a nail, hook, key chain or the like.4 The handle 15, which may be formed of plastic or any other suitable material, has avertical slot 17 formed therein extending from the opposite end of the handle 15 from the opening 16 substantially the length of the handle 1-5 and for Vsubstantially the lentire. depth thereof.

Asbest shown in Fig. 1.1, a tubular eyelet or bearing rivet y18 ifs/secured in theA slotted end of "the handle 1S so as to extend transversely through ,the slot .1,7. A blade holder 20 has one end' pivotably mounted on the bearing rivet 18 and is movable between an open, operable .position, shown in Figs.. 5,6, `and 7 and a closed, carrying position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 As best shown inFig. 9, the blade holder 20 has a U-.shapedcross-sectional configuration which is inverted when ,the holder is in its closedposition, asin Fig. 8. j j

A blade carrier 22, Fig. 3, adapted to' support a razor blade of the standard injector type is pivotably ,mounted on the bearing. rivet 18v coaxially with` the,blade holder 20:y and disposed between the two spaced portions ofthe U-'shaped blade 4holder 20..y kAs best indicated inFig. 7,` the, blade carrier 22 hasY an identical contour orfelevafy tional prole as lthe blade holder 2Q, includingI raised shoulders 24 and 2 1, respectively, adjacentthe pivoted ends thereof, wherebyfitmay be pivoted whollywithin the blade holder 20. '.Aslight variation between'the conf,

tours ofthe blade holder 20 andthe blade carrier 22 is provided, as shown in Figs.` 5 and .6,y with thefreeend ornose 28 of the blade carrier 22 extending `slightly be,

youd the free end or nose.2 9( of the blade yholder 20to,

ment of the invention 'with ,the cutting-blade in a closedV position; N r Fig. 2 is a ,top plan viewof the knifeas shown in F1g..1;

Fig. 3 isafsidetelevational viewA of thebladecarrier;y

Fig. 4 is a Ytop plan view of `the, blade carrier; f jFig.l 5 is a side elevational viewfoftheknife shown in Figrlwith the cutting blade in an open position; Fig. `6 is atopplan view of Fig. `5; 4 v- .Fig 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the blade Vholder in an open position and partially in.

vertical section, -the blade 4carrier pivoted out of the vblade holder, and a standardfraaor blade in broken .lines supported on the blade carrier;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view ytaken generally along line 8578, of Fig. .1,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally alongline 9--9of Fig.l5; l y

`lFig. 10"-is`an enlarged vertical sectional View taken generally along line 10-10 of Fig. 7; and f l Fig.f1l-1 isan enlarged`horizontal sectional view taken provide means for pivotingY the carrier 22 outof'the holder` 20, particularly when a razorblade is not disposed on4 the carrier 22. The blade .carrier 22 is providedvwith meansforfsupporting. 'a razor blade 23 fori movement into the blade holder 2l) in thel form of a pair of punched,-

out projections or ylugs 25 adapted to ftwin a pair .of holes usually lfound in a standardlrazor blade of this type..r

The blade 23.is thus supported againsttheside of the carrier 2,2 with'the cutting edge 26 projecting from the upper edge' of the carrier 22 and with Athe lower `edge ,of the blade 23 being' flush with the lower vedgefof the car-` rier y22, Fig. 10, for most effective blade supportwhen positioned in thebladelholder 20. As indicated in Eig. 10, the lugs 25 do not project beyond the outer surface of the blade-23.

In assembling a razor made inl he knife, the made za is irst positioned against the' open blade carrier 22 with the projecting lugs 25 on the carrier 22fiitted in the holes in the blade 23 and then thecarrier and blade are pivoted into the holder 20. As rthey inner 'end of the blade 2 3 does not extend as .far as the .shoulder 24 ofthe blade carrier 22, `it is` am very simple `and safe procedureto press ldown onthe shoulder 24 of the blade carrier 22V until it isflush with.y the corresponding shoulder 21 ofthe blade holder 20. As indicated in Figs. 5 and 9, the cut- In order kto provide means for retaining the carrier 22 and therblade 23 in the holder 20, the end of the'carrier 22 rpivotably `mounted on the lbearing rivet 18 is bent outof the normal plane of the-carrier 22, as best shown in .FigsJA-.and 11, tolprovide` a frictional spring vaction between thelcarrier andthe'holder. This'bent conigura` tion of theend of-the carrier y22 also acts on the-spaced portions ofV the blade holder 20 -to providev a frictional spring action betweenl the holder 20 and the handle 15.-

' .In many pocket knives* wherein the blade must `be A 3 t opened from a closed position in a slot in the handle, it is necessary to provide a fingernail engaging groove in the blade. The construction disclosed herein provides means for opening theblade without the necessity of providing such Ya groove including afcfurvedl 'notch 30 formedinthe upper surface of the handle and extending transversely thereofand through the slot 17.' vThe depth of the notch 30 is suchl that it extends below the inverted edges 32 ofthe U-shaped holder when in its closed position with` the edges 32'thus providing abutments engagejable by a persons fingernails to facilitate opening the knife,

as Shown in Figs.V l and 8.V v

The particular pocket knife 'structure disclosed herein is of the type having a razor blade' cutting edge removably carried in a blade Aholder` and includes improved means forretaining the blade in the blade holder varid improved means facilitating'openingof the knife froma closed position.` -f W @While I have' shown anddescri-lied a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is' to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement-may be made without departing from the spirit and`sc'ope of the invention as disclosed in the appended'claims. f f

I claimz- 1. A razor blade pocket knife comprising, a handle having a vertical slot formed therein, a blade holder pivotably mounted atone end of said handlefor movementbetween an open 'position and a'v closedv position within said slot, said holder having a'U-shaped cross sec tion inverted 'when in said closed position, a blade carrier pivotably mounted at said one end of said handle coaxial with said holderandpivotable relative to saidv holder and in the plane thereof to a position within said holder, means on said carrier adapted to support a razor blade whereupon said 'carrier and the blade are adapted to be pivoted into the holder with the cutting edge of the blade projecting therefrom, and means defining a notch formed in said handle extendng'transversely through said slot andl extending in depth beyond the inverted edges of said L J- shaped blade holderwhen in said closed position in said slot whereupon said edges where the blade projects from the holder act as abutments engageable by a Vpersons fingernails to facilitate opening of the'knife.

2. A razor blade pocket knife comprisn| a handle having 'a vertical slot formed therein, a blade holder pivotably mounted at said one endof said handle coaxial between an open position and a closed position within said slot, said holder having a -U-shaped cross section inverted when in said closed position, a blade carrier pivotably'mounted at said one Vend of said handle coaxial with said holder and pivotableY relative to said holder and in the plane thereof to a position within said holder, means on said carrier adapted to support a razor blade whereuponisad'carrier and the blade are adapted to be pivoted into the holder with the cutting edge of the blade projecting therefrom,l and means adapted to retain the carrier and the blade within the holder, said means cornprising a bent configuration at the pivoted end of the carrier out of the normal plane of the carrier providing a frictional spring holder.

'3. A razor blade pocket knife comprising, a handle having a vertical, longitudinally extending slot Aformed therein, a notch formed inthe upper surface of one end of said handle and `extending transversely through said slot, a blade holder pivotably mounted at the other end of said handle for movement between an open, operable position and a closed, carrying position in said slot, said holder being U-shape in cross section, a at blade carner member pivotably mounted coaxially with said holder for movement intoA said U-shape holder, a razor blade,

meansA mountingthe blade against one side of said carrier member with a cutting edge thereof extending beyond said carrier member said carrier being pivotable relative to action between said carrier and saidv said holder and in the plane thereof, and means at the pivoted end of said carrier member providing a frictional spring action adapted to retain the carrier and the blade mounted thereon in said holder, said notch in said handle extending in depth beyoiid'theinverted edges of said U- shape holder when in said closed position so that said edges provide abutments engageable by a persons lingernails to facilitate opening the knife.

4. A razor blade pocket knife comprising, an elongated handle member having a vertical slot formed therein intermediate the sides of said member and extending from one end of said handle member substantially to the other end thereof, a bearing rivet secured in said one end of said handle member and extending through said slot, a bladegholder having one end journaled on said rivet and adapted to be pivoted between an open position 'extending from said one end of said handle member-"and 'al closed position substantially within said slot, said holder having a U-shaped cross section inverted when in said closed position, ablade carrier having an identical elevational profile as said holder and having one'end journaled on said bearing vrivet intermediate the/spaced portions of said U-shaped blade holder, said carrier being pivotable relative to said holder and in the plane thereof to a position wholly within said U-shaped blade holder, a standard injector type razor blade having at least two openings spaced along the length thereof, at least two projecting l lugs spaced along the length of said carrier and fitted in said openings formed along the length of said razor blade whereupon said blade is mounted against said carrier and is pivotable therewith into said U-shaped blade holder, the widths ofV said carrier andsaid holder being such that the cutting edge of the razorblade extends beyond the open edges of said U-shaped blade holder, the end of said carrier journaled on said bearing rivet being bent out of the normal plane of the carrier to provide a frictional spring action adapted to retain thel carrier and the blade within said holder, and means defining a transverse notch in the upper surface'of the handle member at the opposite end of the slot from saidgbearing rivet and extending through said slot, said notch having a depth extending below the open edgesof said U-shaped blade holder'when pivoted into its closed position in said slot whereupon said open edges act as abutments engageable by a persons fingernails to facilitate opening of the knife.

5. A razor blade pocket knife comprising, a handle having a vertical slot formed therein, a blade holder pivotably mounted at one end of said handle for movement between an open position and a closed position within said slot, said holder having a U-Shaped cross'section inw verted when in said closed position, a blade carrier pivotably mounted at said oneend 4of said handle co-axial with said holder and pivotable relative to said holder and in the plane thereof to a position within said holder, said holder and said carrier having identical elevational contours, means on said carrier for supporting a razor blade in spaced relationship from the pivoted end of said carrier whereupon ysaid carrier and the blade are adapted to be safely ypivoted intoy the holder Ywith the cutting edge of the blade projecting therefrom by merely pushing on the edge of the carrier adjacent the pivoted end thereof until said edge is flush with the correspondingedges of the holder, and means adapted to retain the carrier and the blade within the holder, said means comprising a bent configuration at the pivoted end of the carrier out of the normal plane of thecarrier providing africtional spring action between said carrier and said holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 967,689 Trueblood Aug. 16, 1910 1,563,716 Briggs Dec. 1, 1925 1,816,422 Coleman July 28, 1931 2,037,914 l McCullough et al Apr. 21, 1936 2,043,594 Qvst June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,914,850 December l, 1959 Leopold Karl Kuhnl It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read4 as corrected below.

Column 3, line 47,; strike out "said", first occurrence; same line, for "coaxial" read for movement Signed and sealed this 28th day of June 1960.,

(SEAL) l Attest; KARL H.. AXLINE Attesting Ofoer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents 

